NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Twitter is emerging as a battleground stock with Rosenblatt today starting coverage with a Buy rating while Stifel kept its Sell rating highlighting what it sees as weak operating metrics. BULLISH TAKE: Twitter's revenue and earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA margin are poised to rebound, Rosenblatt analyst Martin Pyykkonen wrote in a note to investors today. Among the company's positive catalysts are video clip ads which should prove popular with marketers, higher ad load rates, additional products that will increase user growth and the expansion of the company's sales force, which is reaching critical mass, the analyst believes. In general, Twitter can further monetize its ads starting this year by using targeted advertising, contended Pyykkonen. Twitter's ad targeting capabilities are at least as strong as those of Facebook , added the analyst. Meanwhile, the company's recently acquired Periscope product, which enables live video streaming, could significantly affect Twitter's usage trends, he contended. BEARISH TAKE: Twitter's risk/reward ratio is negative, and the company's second quarter guidance may come in below consensus estimates, wrote Stifel analyst Scott Devitt. The company is facing a tough comparison in Q2, as its results in the quarter last year were boosted by the World Cup, Devitt stated. Moreover, Twitter has not significantly improved its core product, and the website may be less popular than investors expect, the analyst contended. Additionally, Facebook has launched a number of initiatives, including trending topics updates and a deal to distribute NFL clips, that compete with Twitter's core competencies, the analyst wrote. He kept a $38 price target and Sell rating on Twitter. PRICE ACTION: In mid-morning trading, Twitter rose 2% to $50.50. Reporting done by Larry Ramer.
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